International Waters learning Exchange & Resource Network

Vanuatu: Sustainable Management of Sarakata Watershed

Aims: To ensure sustainable management of the Sarakata watershed by formulating and implementing a land use management plan for the watershed

Activities: Participatory ecological and socio-economic surveys, mapping and resource valuation; Establish watershed management strategies, policies, plans and monitoring; Promotion of alternatives to de-forestation, agricultural and coastal management practices; Establish community managed protected areas; Develop and implement Water Safety Plans; Mitigate flooding; Manage watershed for sustainable hydro power.

2586 - PAS Implementing Sustainable Integrated Water Resource and Wastewater Management in the Pacific Island Countries - under the GEF Pacific Alliance for Sustainability


"3(a) INDICATOR#1: 40% Reduction of Sewage Pollution across the Sarakata Watershed
The target of this project is to reduce sewage pollution by 40%, so far piloted composting toilets are
build on areas with shallow underground water. The pepsi area and solway areas within the
Watershed are the most areas prone to sewage pollution due to open pit latrines in shallow ground
level areas. Women are the most targeted group involve in this project as they are managers of the
house and can change the mindset of their children and husbands on the benefits of composting
toilets to the environment and the water quality. "

"2. RESULTS: PROCESS
During the Project Inception phase in 2009 a IWRM Steering Committee was established from the
non-functional Sanma Water Advisory Committee (SWAC). The original members were made up of
the Sanma Water Advisory Committee and expanded to include other important stakeholders for the
IWRM Project. This was done to ensure that the work that the work that the SWAC started would be
incorporated into the Project initiative and logframe.The IWRM Steering Committee expanded to
include department such as Forestry, Fisheries, Agriculture and Livestock.
Fi
Fire
Re-establishment and expansion of this committee has been effective in: (1) opening up the
communication lines between the provincial government and the national government for the better
management of the Sarakata Basin; (2) influencing decision making leaders at the provincial and at
the national level as to the importance of support for the Sarakata Basin; and (3) allowing the relevant
government agencies and other important stakeholders dealing with water on a coordinated effort.
This coordinated collaborative effort has allowed for a signing of MOU with all Directors of the relevant
agencies as well as the different stakeholders for the sustainability of the activities currently
implemented under the IWRM project.

2(a) INDICATOR#1: Establishment of the Sarakata Basin Integrated Flood Management Plan
The plan to incorporate early flood warning system to provide at least one hour warning and process
for incorporating floodplains into planning regulations is well underway with feasibility studies and
Flood Hazard Map mapped out for the Flood Phone areas.
The figure above shows the low lying water table, often surfaced and hence enhanced flood during
extreme weather. Far right is a sample of the Sarakata Flood Hazard Map in three different colours.
White is believed to be areas with low flooding impacts, Yellow is the areas with medium flooding
impacts during flood events, and Red are the areas with high flooding impacts and are areas not safe
for residential activities. It is envisaged that by the end of the project phase, a Sarakata Flood
Management Plan would be endorsed by the Cabinet.

2(b) INDICATOR#2: PROPORTION OF COMMUNITY ENGAGED IN WATER RELATED ISSUES
The target of the project was to establish 30% increase in active engagement activities. At the time of
project start-up almost all community engaged was passive. Vanuatu IWRM has focused on different
targeted community groups participating in clean-up campaigns, construction of composting toilets,
forest replanting, establishment of agriculture demonstration plots. On World Water Day 2012, a river
clean up event on the Sarakata River was a successful day with many community members and
school children attending. It also identified some areas being used for dumping rubbish alongside and
into the Sarakata River. On a separate occasion during a Mass Awareness Campaign of the IWRM
Steering Committee members, a group of young people were identified to clean up and police the
activities along the river mouth of the Sarakata River. The project has subsequently assisted the
community by placing Notice boards and rubbish stands around the area for their rubbish."

Photo
Data
Year 2012
Reporting date 14-Mar
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